Homocysteine Level ?

[maxs mom]

I mentioned last week that I just had labs performed to make sure there wasn't any underlying problem that caused the PE (e.g clotting disorder etc). They just came back and everything turned out normal, Yeah! But now my Peri wants to send me to have my homocysteine levels checked. Why didn't they do this when they took the other 13 vials of blood? Does anyone have experience with elevated homocysteine levels and PE? Did anybody else get their homocysteine levels checked after a PG with PE?

Kara (33)
DH, John (35)
Max, 1/20/03, 25 wks, 534g. (IUGR), severe PE
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/m/mightymax/

[akemt]

Kara,

I have no answer, just hate it when people's questions are left hanging...lol [:I] I wasn't tested for anything after my first pg, sadly. And I know nothing about it. HOpefully you'll get a REAL answer soon!

Catherine (22)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo
Baby #2 due August 11, 2004

[laura]

I had heard that high levels of homocysteine during early pregnancy were correlated with higher incidences of severe preeclampsia, though I don't think that they thought it was a cause of PE, rather a marker. High Homocysteine levels are also associated with cardiovascular disease, but again, I wasn't clear on what it meant for us with PE, and what they could do about it- with a little further research, I found this info here correlating high homocysteine levels with thrombophilias and treated with folate. Maybe they threw that one test in there because they suspect that there's a clotting disorder somewhere, and they're exhausting all possible avenues.

http://www.obgmanagement.com/content/obg_featurexml.asp?file=2003/04/obg_0403_00034.xml

Hyperhomocysteinemia. A frequent condition in the general population, hyperhomocysteinemia is also an important contributor to the overall risk of thrombotic disease. Although the exact mechanism for this is unclear, mild to moderate increases in homocysteine levels are associated with an increased relative risk of thrombosis (2.5). Dietary restriction of folate and vitamin B12 remains the most common cause.

In any event, I hope they find something! It always makes you feel better to have an area to target. HTH.

Laura-28
DH Jack-30
Allie 5-13-98 (35 weeks-pre-e)
Baby Camille 4-17-03 (36 weeks- htn and oligo)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/c/camilleandallie/

[lisac]

Hi Kara,
I found on the i-net that elevated homocysteine levels found in early pg can be associated w/the development of PE. If you run a Google search for homocysteine & pregnancy all kinds of things come up.

Hope that helps.
Lisa

[maxs mom]

Laura,
Thanks, that article was helpful. Most articles I saw online were about high levels during PG related to PE, not before PG.


Kara (33)
DH, John (35)
Max, 1/20/03, 25 wks, 534g. (IUGR), severe PE
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/m/mightymax/

[taras mom]

They did my homocysteine check along with all the other tests. I have no idea why they didn't do the same for you, especially since the genetic tests can be so much more expensive. Maybe it was just an oversight. Although I'm an MTHFR mutant, my homocysteine level was normal, possibly because I've been taking prenatal vitamins for so long.

Carol (38)
DH Bill (40)
Tara Mairichi
12/7-12/9, 2002
The Mightiest Little Angel

[catherine]

From what I've read, it is likely that a MTHFR mutation is only clinically significant (at least in the context of cardiovascular disease) if it results in altered homocysteine levels. Everyone carries two copies of a gene, if one is fine then there may be enough "normal" protein being made that it doesn't matter that the other is a bit "bent". Such folks are heterozygous for the gene, people who are homozygous have a mistake in both copies. Of course, it may not necessarily be the same mistake and thus you have the possibility of a spectrum of signifcance depending on your combination.

Catherine (37)
DH, Dave (40)
Finn (6)
Lucy (2)Preeclampsia & HELLP
Chloe (7/2/03)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/f/finngoosensprout